Florida Woman Arrested for Cocaine Hidden in Shipment from St. Thomas

Jaya Eugene faces charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine discovered by Customs officers inside a mattress she shipped to Miami

ST. THOMAS — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on December 15 seized nearly 16 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside a mattress in a shipment bound for Miami from St. Thomas, leading to the arrest of Jaya Eugene upon her arrival in Fort Lauderdale on January 2, 2023. The mattress and the drugs were in a crate of other items, and the crate was addressed to Eugene.

According to court documents, on January 2, 2023, Eugene flew from Charlotte Amalie to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on a Spirit Airlines flight. Homeland Security Investigations met Ms. Eugene as she landed, and escorted her to a secure area for questioning.